Hot in Here
by Keikimo
Summary: The only thing hotter than Hell...is Trip's day in Engineering.
1. Part 1

Hot In Here - by Keikimo   
  
September 2003   
  
Disclaimer: To paraphrase Kirk: What does Paramount need with a Starship? But until they come to their senses and let the fans write the stories, Enterprise, her crew and the rest of the Star Trek Universe still belong to the guys in suits.   
  
I write purely for the enjoyment, I post purely in the hopes there are people out there who would enjoy reading my works. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to hear from you. If you have anything to say, feel free to hit that review button and let me know.   
  
A rating? Well, think of a Nelly video: girls, guys, and just enough skin to make it interesting.   
  
Speaking of Nelly, I realize that like many music artists today, he prefers a more...*creative* spelling for his song titles. Personally, I think it just looks silly. So, while this fic *is* titled the same as one of his hit songs...the word "here" has only *one* R in it...not two. Got it? Good!   
  
Class dismissed, onto the fic.   
  
*****  
  
Hot in Here - by Keikimo   
  
September 2003   
  
Trip had never really believed in the notion of an afterlife, space was far too mystical and mysterious for him as it was. But he was beginning to wonder if there was such a thing as Hell...and if it resembled anything close to the day he was having.   
  
It had all started twelve hours ago with a deceptively minor problem...a single blown relay. It was a simple fix, one even a first year Engineering student could handle. Except the minor problem quickly escalated into a cascade failure of the warp coolant systems and a subsequent shutdown of most systems across Enterprise. Mapping out the damage, Trip couldn't help but marvel at the fact there was still a ship left to repair. Twelve hours later...and his color coded chart was still a mess of reds, yellows and oranges.   
  
On the positive side, he now had first hand knowledge about the various safety protocols connected to the warp core, including where excess heat off the warp plasma could be vented in an emergency. It was almost ironic considering the absolute cold of space surrounding them, but most of Enterprise was currently hovering at 35 degrees. In Engineering, with all the staff and equipment they had jammed in the room, it was closer to forty.   
  
Glancing up at the ceiling in frustration, Trip couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of cosmic penance. He could handle working twenty-four hours straight, could handle squinting through the hazy fog of steam and smoke still lingering in the air. It was the damned heat that was making it all unbearable. Not really expecting any sort of explanation, he waited anyway, wondering if an all-encompassing apology to the Universe would help end his misery. He had reached the point where he would have happily dropped down on his hands and knees, begging forgiveness from T'Pol herself if he thought it would knock the temperature down a few degrees.   
  
"Sir?"   
  
The hesitant voice broke him out of his musings and Trip turned to Hess with a tired grin. She casually glanced up at the ceiling, then back at him, her expression equal parts concern, confusion and amusement. "I was conducting negotiations with the Universe." He shrugged, pointing towards the ceiling as if it would explain everything.   
  
"Uh....okay." Confusion quickly melting towards concern, Hess nodded tentatively in agreement. Trip knew she was subtly trying to assess his current grip on sanity, probably wondering if he was suffering from heat stroke once again. "Did you get an answer?"   
  
"Maybe. Depends on what you were about to tell me." He leaned over the railing to grab the datareader she held up to him, almost dreading the possibility it would be another damage report. They were still relying on actual visual assessments for the most part - even after all their work, the computer's diagnostics were sluggish at best. But it also meant they were still playing a giant guessing game, trying to determine how much damage actually occurred and where the most work needed to be done.   
  
"It looks like we might be able to power up the computer core in the next hour or so..."   
  
Quickly paging through the report for confirmation, Trip didn't even bother to hide his relieved smile at the news. "Apparently I should've apologized ten hours ago..."   
  
"Sir?"   
  
"Nothing. Good work." The computer core wasn't exactly the warp core...but with the day they had been having, he wasn't about to be picky. He was just thankful they had finally made some headway. "Grab whoever you need and get those last few data modules replaced. I'd like to see my quarters again sometime this week."   
  
"Yes sir..."   
  
He heard her voice trail off as she wandered back into the depths of Engineering, her shouted orders mingling with those of other disembodied voices working somewhere in the smoky darkness. Glancing back over his shoulder, Trip saw the schematic of Enterprise still called up on his screen. Thirteen hours later...and he could finally add a spot of green to his multicoloured diagram. It was progress...granted, it was slow-going. But it was still progress.   
  
He chose to ignore the fact it was *also* forty degrees in Engineering and still climbing.... 


	2. Part 2

Hot In Here - by Keikimo   
Septmber 2003 

Walking into Engineering, the first thing that struck Hoshi was how quiet it was. After all the chaos throughout the ship earlier that morning, she expected the place to be full of activity. Instead, it appeared that only a skeleton staff was left on duty...a pair of crewmen who were hauling equipment out of storage, and Lieutenant Hess manning Trip's usual station. 

Hess glanced over her shoulder, smiling down at Hoshi from her perch by the warp reactors. "Ensign...can I help you?" 

"Well, I...I know you're busy..." Hoshi started hesitantly, watching Hess attempt to split her attention equally between the reports on her screen, the two crewmen on the floor and the conversation they were having. 

"But...?" Hess prodded with tired amusement. 

"Ship-wide comm systems are still down..." 

"Along with most secondary systems....we know." The amusement suddenly disappeared, replaced with a frustrated groan. "We're working on it...but it's not exactly our priority right now." 

"I'm not complaining..." Raising her hands in defense, Hoshi shrunk back further towards the doors of Engineering. "It's just...the Captain just wanted to get an estimate on repairs." 

"Oh...sorry." Pausing the reports on her screen, Hess turned around fully, offering a sheepish smile in apology. "It's been a long day." 

"I can only imagine. Where is everyone?" 

"Probably attempting to eat, shower and grab some sleep, all at the same time." She laughed, glancing at the chrono over Hoshi's head. "We're still waiting on a few things...Commander Tucker decided it would be a perfect time for a break. He chased everybody else out about a half hour ago." 

"You drew the short straw?" Hoshi asked sympathetically. 

"Well, someone needs to be here. Besides, I'm one of the lucky few who isn't working on a triple shift yet." She shrugged. "Anyways, we're hoping to fire up the computer core in an hour or so. The Commander hopes that'll solve a lot of the problems we've been having throughout the ship...including the secondary systems." 

"So you really won't know anything until the computer comes up...?" 

"Pretty much..." Hess glanced around Engineering and gave another weary sigh. "You can tell the Captain it's going to be a while, either way. We'll probably know more in the morning." 

"Okay. Thanks." Even before Hoshi could finish her thank you, Hess had already turned around and was back at work. Knowing a dismissal when she saw one, Hoshi reluctantly turned to leave...she had run out of reasons to linger around Engineering, at least without being entirely obvious about her motives. 

"Ensign Sato?" 

"Yes?" Pausing at the open door, Hoshi turned back in surprise. Hess was still facing her workstation, but the faint amusement was back in her voice. 

"He's back around the reactors." 

"Pardon?" Letting the doors snap shut behind her for the second time, Hoshi blinked in confusion. 

"Commander Tucker...I saw him sneak back in a while ago. He's probably hiding behind the reactors." Hess turned slighly, an innocent smile plastered on her face. "If you wanted to get a status report from him personally I mean." 

"I...alright. Thanks." Surprised at Hess' forwardness, Hoshi was caught off guard, unable to come up with any sort of plausable excuse. Although, judging from the knowing smiles the two crewmen were now attempting to hide, it didn't really matter anyways...apparently everyone already knew about her and Trip. 

Deciding she couldn't really make things any worse, Hoshi casually wandered back around toward the reactors, figuring she might as well take advantage of Hess' teasing advice. Walking nearly the entire length of Engineering, she finally found Trip crammed in a darkened alcove as promised, assorted tools scattered around him. 

He had obviously just showered, his wet hair was sticking up in comical spikes from his head...and what was left of his uniform was still immaculately clean. It appeared that at some point during their lengthy day, the entire Engineering staff had adopted a more casual dress code than the usual Starfleet standards. Like everyone else in Engineering, Trip hadn't bothered with the top half of his jumpsuit, the sleeves casually tied around his waist and out of the way. Although, he had apparently taken it one step further, leaving the black shirt underneath undone as well, exposing a wide strip of bare skin across his chest. 

"Hey." 

His head snapped up in surprise, a wide grin spreading across his face when he saw her. "Hey back." Sweeping his arm across the floor, he quickly cleared a spot for her beside him. "Can I offer you a piece of floor?" 

Taking the offered seat she settled up against him comfortably, leaning her head up against his shoulder. "What are you up to?" 

"Honestly?" Trip asked with a tired laugh. He surveyed the assorted tools and parts he had haphazardly scattered across the floor...all without actually getting any real work done. "I'm trying to hide." 

"You know, that's exactly what Lieutenant Hess said." Hoshi smiled, then started giggling outright at Trip's affronted glare. 

"She said I was hiding?" 

"Apparently you aren't fooling anyone." The giggles slowly died, replaced with a heavy sigh. "Although I'm pretty sure we aren't fooling anyone anymore either." 

"Hess give you a hard time?" 

"Lieutenant Hess, the two crewmen on duty right now, Liz, Nancy, Travis, Malcolm..." Hoshi trailed off. "We're the worst kept secret on the ship." 

"I wouldn't worrry too much about it. As long as T'Pol isn't on that list, we're fine." He shrugged, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "Sometimes I'm glad Vulcans don't gossip." 

"Vulcans find gossip highly illogical..." Sitting up straight and crossing her arms in front of her, Hoshi raised a single eyebrow in an imitation of T'Pol. She only managed to hold the stoic expression for a second before breaking down into tired giggles against his shoulder once again. Trip laughed along with her hugging her closer to him. 

"Not that I'm complaining, but you didn't actually need to search me out to tell me that the entire ship knows about the two of us. Actually, kinda counter-productive if you think about it." 

"Well, I actually wanted to file a complaint with the Chief Engineer about the heat..." Hoshi teased, batting her eyes up at him innocently. 

"Join the club...why do you think I'm hiding right now?" Trip smiled. "I will give you a friendly warning though...unless you've secretly started up an affair with the Captain or Malcolm, it's going to be a long, hot night." 

"I'm not-so secretly having an affair with the Chief Engineer...doesn't that count?" Hoshi's face creased in confusion. "Don't you outrank Malcolm?" 

"Yes I outrank Malcolm." Trip laughed out loud again, smoothing her forehead back down with a fingertip as he explained. "But due to a few unusual quirks in Starfleet Protocol, my priority level is about as high as yours right now...if not lower." 

"Well, now you tell me...I wonder if Malcolm would be interested in some company tonight?" Hoshi asked innocently, shrieking with laughter when Trip dug his fingertips into her ribs, tickling her mercilessly. 

"You're choosing a cooler room over me?" 

"It's hot...!" Hoshi managed to squeeze a teasing protest out between rounds of laughter, still trying to squirm away from his tickling fingers. 

"Well, if that's the only problem...why are you still wearing your uniform done up to your chin?" He stopped tickling her, reaching up for the front closure of her jumpsuit and tugging it down her chest. "It would probably help if..." He trailed off, suddenly realizing what he was doing...and to whom. 

He hadn't actually intended it to be anything more than just a friendly guesture. Once the temperature had climbed to unbearable heights, he hadn't given a second thought to stripping off extra layers from his uniform, practically ordering everyone else in Engineering to do the same. He knew that T'Pol would have had an apopolectic fit if she walked in and saw his crew half dressed, but he honestly didn't care. They could have been wandering around in their underwear...as long as they were doing their jobs. 

But this was a little different situation...and when Hoshi's heated gaze flicked up from his hand to his eyes, he was suddenly hit with a wave of desire. The friendly giggles and laughter were quickly replaced with a sultry expression, her hands closing over his, trying to help him open her black undershirt underneath. Leaning forward to kiss her, she responded eagerly, nearly crushing him up against the wall of equipment behind them as she straddled his outstretched legs in an attempt to get even closer. 

Belatedly, his Command training kicked in, suggesting that perhaps, this was a really bad idea...even as he debated how well they were actually hidden there in the back depths of Engineering. Wishing they were anywhere else...or even that they had a little more time to spare, he reluctantly pulled away, kissing the tip of her nose in silent apology. "Hosh, I can honestly say, I don't really care at the moment...but in about five minutes, this place is going to be crawling with Engineers." 

"Right...okay." Taking a shaky breath, she pillowed her head into his shoulder, lingering in his arms just a little longer. With a reluctant nod, she carefully picked herself up off him and out of the alcove they were now both crammed into. Standing up, she waited patiently for him to untangle himself as well, taking the opportunity to get her breathing back under control. 

Risking a glance at her as he stood and stretched, Trip was relieved to see a tired pout back on her face. It wasn't the best reaction he could hope for...but at least a pout meant she wasn't exactly embarassed...or angry. "So..." He started, but was cut off with a sharp punch to the shoulder, proving his assumed theory wrong. "Ow, hey! What was that for?" 

"Being a gentleman." Hoshi said firmly, even as the level of background noise increased around them, a sign that Trip's staff had finally returned. "Even if you were right." 

Suddenly self conscious, she toyed with her hair, nervously glancing around the entire span of Engineering. Spotting no one, she turned back and gave him a shy, sultry smile, one that was impossible to misread. "See you later?" 

"God I hope so..." Trip muttered, narrowing his eyes when her gaze suddenly turned devilish. 

"Well, if not, there's always Malcolm." She waved cheerily, quickly disappearing down the hallway and back towards the main area of Engineering before he could even think up a suitable response. 

Banging his head against the hard metal bulkhead behind him, Trip tried to drag his mind back towards his work, forcing himself to focus on everything they still had left to do. Except for some reason, the thought of piecing a starship back together somehow didn't seem all that great anymore. Especially when the only think he could think about was Hoshi....along with any number of of things they *could've* been doing right that very second... 

It was definately going to be a long night... 


End file.
